News & Press
By Kaisa Amaral on 27 Jan 2021
Private sector carbon market report evokes more concern than hope
Carbon Market Watch’s reaction to the publication of the report by the task force on scaling up voluntary carbon markets BRUSSELS 27 January 2021 The report of the “Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets” proposes the creation of updated quality criteria for carbon offsets and standardised reporting requirements but also leaves the door open for…
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By Kaisa Amaral on 15 Dec 2019
COP25: No deal on UN carbon markets as a number of countries reject loopholes
MADRID 15 DECEMBER 2019 Governments at the UN climate talks (COP 25) postponed decisions on future carbon market rules after no agreement was reached on the most contentious issues such as the fate of old credits and measures to avoid double-counting. Carbon Market Watch commends countries who defended strong carbon market rules and calls on…
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By Kaisa Amaral on 11 Dec 2019
Dodgy carbon market rules risk undermining the Paris Agreement
MADRID 10th December 2019. The UN carbon market talks are at a crossroads in Madrid as ministers take over today. Carbon Market Watch calls on governments to only accept a deal that bans old Kyoto credits, includes rules to avoid double-counting, and to ensure that markets reduce emissions, and include strong environmental and social safeguards….
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By Kaisa Amaral on 27 Nov 2019
Markets must increase climate action, not undermine it
Carbon Market Watch priorities at the COP25 in Madrid BRUSSELS 27 November 2019. The next round of UN climate talks takes place in Madrid from 2 to 13 December. The future of carbon markets could be a make or break element for climate action as some countries attempt to cash-in on badly designed mechanisms. While…
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COP24 overshadowed by market failure as countries fail to agree on basic accounting principles and the future of the CDM
COP24 closed this evening in Katowice, Poland, more than 24 hours later than initially planned. Despite smooth progress at first, negotiations ended in confusion as it proved impossible to find an agreement within the article 6 negotiations, which work to set up two new carbon markets for the post-2020 period. The text presented to all…
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World moves closer to global pollution pricing as China launches carbon market
BRUSSELS 19 December 2017. The launch of the world’s largest carbon market sends an important political signal of China’s commitment to address climate change. Putting a price on pollution can incentivise the phase-out of fossil fuels, but the existing carbon markets have so far not delivered a high enough price to drive the transition to…
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Markets must increase climate ambition – Carbon Market Watch priorities at the COP23 in Bonn
BRUSSELS 3 November 2017. The next round of UN climate talks takes place in Bonn from 6 to 17 November, under the Fijian Presidency, on how to implement the Paris climate deal. One open question is the role carbon markets will play in meeting global climate targets. Carbon Market Watch will be in Bonn to follow…
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New study adds urgency to end UN carbon offsetting scheme
Brussels 19 April 2017. The European Commission has released a new study showing major flaws in carbon offsets from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). As countries flesh out the rules to implement the Paris Agreement, Carbon Market Watch calls for an end to the scheme, and a shift away from offsetting as a climate policy…
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EU fuel quality rules too weak to change oil industry practices; now governments must act
BRUSSELS, 1 December 2016. The European Commission’s guidelines on reducing emissions ‘upstream’ from oil refineries are too weak to drive real action by the oil industry because they leave open the door to questionable carbon offsets, green groups Carbon Market Watch and Transport & Environment (T&E) have said. However, national governments can still strengthen the…
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In landmark decision, Panama withdraws UN registration for Barro Blanco hydrodam project
Marrakech, Morocco; Panama City, Panama – 10 November 2016: Last week, Panama withdrew its registration of the controversial Barro Blanco hydro dam project on grounds of stakeholder violation, a precedent under the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). While this decision is a step in the right direction for climate action, lessons need to be learned…
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